About

Voice Found is a survivor-led national charity that educates individuals and organizations on how to identify, prevent and respond to child sex abuse and sex trafficking.

Through The Hope Found Project we provide support to persons in Eastern Ontario who have been sexually exploited. This includes those who have been trafficked or who wish to exit the sex trade.

Starting from a personal place

Voice Found was born from a place of deep depression and a desire to help others who may be feeling similarly. After holding onto a secret for about 42 years, a question posed by a therapist opened the floodgates. That one question started the founder on a journey during which she felt compelled to share so that others could find some solidarity and support and know that they are not alone. That question was quite simple but had never been asked before. The question was:

“Were you sexually abused as a child?”

Sexually abused from the age of 5-7 by a trusted neighbour, raped at age 12 and 16, Cynthia has battled cocaine addiction, suicidal thoughts, post traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks and severe depression. She has a genius-level IQ and yet dropped out of highschool and never completed her education. Feelings of low self-worth, shame, sadness and embarrassment have followed her for most of her life. Despite this and much more, she has managed to do something positive and turn her life around.

Voice Found is a result of her desire to help others. As she went through her healing journey, a series of “what ifs” followed:

What if there was a way to help other survivors feel worthy and whole?

What if we could educate people on the issues of child sex abuse and commercial sexual exploitation?

What if colleagues and employers could help survivors who are in recovery?

What if there was a way to help society understand the effects of childhood sexual abuse on its adult survivors?

What if people understood that the often the root cause of drug abuse, suicide, panic disorder, promiscuity, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, perfectionism is often a result of childhood trauma?